Sleep Well, Otouto : Childhood Memories
by Crystallinee
Summary: Precious moments from Itachi's and Sasuke's childhood. Brotherly fluff, no pairings. Sasuke's birth and when they're older. Premassacre.
1. Sasuke's Birth

**Authors Note: **I'm back with another fluffy story! This story will be based on random moments from Itachi's and Sasuke's childhood, before the massacre. This is pure brotherly fluff/love**. **No pairings.**  
><strong>**  
><strong>Just a quick dictionary in case it's needed**: otouto = **little brother** nii-san = **big brother  
><strong>I hope you enjoy. Please disregard any spelling grammar mistakes, this was one of the first stories I wrote here and it's not my first language.  
><strong>

****Itachi's Point of view: Sasuke's Birth****

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><p>Have you ever wished you had a sibling? I did. Not until my little brother, Sasuke, was born I finally understood who I am.<p>

"Itachi," my mother said, smiling. I looked up at her. "Yes, mother?"

Before she could answer, my father interrupted: "Be sure to train more after dinner, you know you have a mission tomorrow."

I nodded. I was sitting together with my parents in the kitchen, listened to my father who fussed over missions and important meetings.  
>Though I had Shisui, I often felt alone. It was hard to be the only child, always under Fugaku's supervision.<p>

The following day, when I hurried through the kitchen, to leave for the mission, my mother stopped me. Father was waiting outside.  
>"Itachi," she smiled softly. "You will have a sibling soon."<p>

My eyes widened when I realized - I would soon be six years old but I knew what she meant - and my gaze unconsciously drifted to her belly. It wasn't so big, but I was struck with amazement. A sibling?

I couldn't stop thinking about it the following months, and I caught myself wondering how it would be when I became a big brother, a nii-san. I thought about what I and my little sibling could to together when he or she grew older. We could play together, do homeworks, train... and when we were older, we could even go on missions together! I wouldn't be alone anymore!

I concentrated on training and homework, and I turned six years old. Mother's belly grew, and I wondered how long I would have to wait. I asked Shisui one day, what it would feel like to have a sibling. Shisui had a younger sister, she was just eight months old. He teased me a bit about it but then ruffled my hair and said that he was sure that I would be the best big brother ever. I don't know, but that made me very happy.

One day when father was out on a mission and I was sitting in the kitchen eating, I saw that mother suddenly jumped. She was standing at the kitchen counter.

"What's wrong, mother?" I asked, a bit worried, for she had placed her hands over her stomach.

"Oh ... he or she just kicked for the first time," she smiled.

She met my stunned gaze with bright eyes, and suddenly asked: "Do you want to feel?"  
>Amazed and surprised, not really sure what to do, I went over to her. What did she mean?<p>

"Put your hands on my stomach", my mother said, pulling up her shirt a bit, exposing her big belly.

Gently and amazed, I put my hands over her belly, and gave a start when I got a slight nudge in my palm. I resisted the impulse to remove my hands, and got another soft nudge. I realized that I was gaping.

"It's your little sibling who is moving around in there. You see, Itachi," mother smiled. "He or she likes you."

I got a warm feeling inside me that I had never felt before. I realized I was smiling. I felt that it was a he, that I would have a little brother. It just felt like that.

Some months later, I awoke in the middle of the night when I heard my mother scream. I was instantly worried, had something happened? But when I got up I was met by my parents on their way out through the door.

"We are going to the hospital now, Itachi", my father said. "We'll be back in a few hours."

I was left alone. I couldn't sleep, I was worried about my little baby brother. Would he be alright?

Morning came, and I hadn't heard anything from them. My father came back alone, clearly irritated. "She hasn't given birth yet," he muttered. "Now I'll miss a important meeting." I went with father to the hospital.

I had to sit and wait with him in a long, empty corridor next to the delivery room. Father was impatient.  
>Mother groaned in pain, and a nurse came by and told us:<p>

"She has been struggling for eight hours now; it's a stubborn little child." I was worried. Was my otouto all right?

Three hours later I hadn't moved at all, but father was really annoyed and was walking around.  
>Suddenly the air changed, and I knew it was time.<p>

Silence ... and a faint, tinkling scream. My eyes widened.

"It's a healthy baby boy," a nurse in the room said.

My father rushed in and through the glass window in the door I could see a small child be lifted up, cried incessantly. I felt sad inside, why was he crying?  
>I knew I wasn't allowed to enter the room until they told me to, but I struggled to remain in place when I heard him cry. I just wanted to make sure he was alright.<p>

My father soon walked out again, bored and annoyed, muttering something about "loud noise". I went in, saw that the nurses fiddled with mother. I still heard a heartbreaking crying, and saw that they had put my little brother in a crib on wheels further away in the room.

I cautiously approached the steel crib, curious, concerned and amazed. The sad crying subsided gradually, until I stood beside it, and the crying stopped.  
>I leaned over the edge and looked down at my newborn otouto.<p>

I was overwhelmed, felt my eyes open wide. The first moment I saw him, the world turned around. He was so ... perfect.

Completely new, small and helpless. Sleepy black eyes looked up at me; a little black hair covered his small head. He lay with his small hands clenched, close in front of his chest. He seemed as curious about me as I was about him, but he also seemed lost and scared. Nobody else in the room seemed to notice that otouto was afraid of everything new. It was obvious to me.

A nurse walked over to us. "He's very similar to you," she smiled. "Do you want to hold him?"

I looked up astonished and nodded. I wanted to make otouto feel safe. I sat down on a chair beside the crib, and the nurse gently placed the little bundle in my arms. I sat perfectly still, hardly daring to move for fear of dropping him.

His black eyes looked calmly at me, and he cried no more. I smiled at the little baby and hugged him gently. I was careful, as if he was made of glass.  
>I realized that I loved him, and I had never felt this way before. My father used to view me as a tool, and always told me to not make bonds of love.<p>

I had witnessed war and death, and I killed for the first time when I was only four years old. But this little miracle, my otouto, washed all the horrible memories away. He was so pure, so innocent. A new life brought into this world, in exchange for all lost.

"His name is Sasuke," my mother said from her bed. "What do you think, Itachi?"

"Sasuke," I smiled at my baby brother. It was just right. What would I say to him?

The answer was simple.

"Welcome to the world, otouto", I said. "I'm your big brother Itachi, and I'll always protect you. "

Sasuke looked happy, as if he understood and trusted me. I had never felt so happy before. I kissed his forehead softly.

Suddenly I could feel something pulling in my hair, Sasuke's little hand had gotten hold of a strand. Then he let go, and his eyelids began to fall.  
>I was immediately worried, what was wrong?<p>

But the nurse just smiled. "He's tired."

I stroked his eyelids gently when he had closed them. "Sleep well, otouto."

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><p><strong>Reviews make my day!<strong>


	2. I Won't Let You Down

**"I won't let you down"**

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><p>"What? Kushina Uzumaki is dead? "<p>

Itachi heard his mother's sincerely shocked and sorrowful voice on his way to the kitchen. He stopped, peered cautiously through the doorway and saw his parents in there.

Fugaku ate his food, bored. "Yes, apparently she and The Fourth Hokage died the night when the nine-tailed demon fox attacked."  
>Mikoto was standing at bench, still looked shocked. She held Sasuke, almost ten months old, in her arms, leaned his little head against her shoulder.<p>

"Why?" she asked.

Her husband grunted. "They sealed the kyuubi inside of their newborn child," he said and scowled.

"Their son? Naruto?" Mikoto asked in surprise. "Why would they do such a thing? Did Kushina's sealing broke? "

"I don't know much," Fugaku said dismissively, though he apparently did. "But they are, in all cases, dead, and their son is the vessel of the kyuubi." He was obviously not happy with it.

Itachi was shocked -was that what happened six months ago, when the village was attacked?  
>Mikoto continued to gentle cradle Sasuke. "It means of course a great danger for us," she said, now suddenly suspicious. "What if the child loses control?"<p>

"It will be dangerous for the whole village," Fugaku grumbled. "But what is worse is - our noble clan is accused of the demon fox' attack - Konoha blames it on our clan."

Mikoto didn't seem affected by it. "This will also be dangerous for Sasuke, he and Naruto will attend the same class!" she said, worried.

"It's all right," Fugaku said dismissively. His facial expression and tone clearly said: _Even if something would happen to Sasuke, I still have Itachi left so it doesn't matter._

Itachi clenched his fists. Poor Sasuke to have such a father.  
>Mikoto also seemed to have noticed it. She exclaimed: "He's also our son, Fugaku!" Sasuke began to whine on her shoulder.<p>

Itachi walked quickly out of sight when he saw Mikoto leave the kitchen. She put Sasuke in his crib in his room and then returned to her husband. "Itachi?" she called out, unaware that her son was nearby. "Dinner is ready!"

"Yes, kaa-san," Itachi answered quickly and then went to Sasukes room.  
>He leaned over the crib, watched his little brother whimper and cry.<p>

He stroked Sasuke's forehead softly, let his hand gently caress his cheek. He smiled when he saw his brother stop crying and look up at him, with the same black, pearly eyes as he himself had.

Even if Sasuke was born into a family where bonds and relationships didn't matter, even if his parents were going to let him down in the future, Itachi would always be there and give his brother everything he had. Because he loved Sasuke with all his heart.

"Nii-san is here for you, Sasuke," Itachi smiled. "You don't have to worry about what is to come, for whatever happens, I'm here for you."

Sasukes little hand grabbed Itachi's fingers, wonder in his eyes. Itachis eyes widened when he heard the little words that came out of his brother's mouth.

"Niisan ..."  
>Shocked, he took up his otouto in his arms. Sasukes first words were ... <em>nii-san.<em>

Itachi had never felt that feeling before that he got now. He felt strangely touched, emotional.  
>"Otouto ..." he whispered back. He could not help but to smile broadly at Sasuke.<p>

_Thank you._

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><p>Please review!<p> 


	3. A Niisan's Duty

All chapters from here takes place before previously chapter, just to be clear. Itachi: 7 Sasuke: Infant

**8. "A nii-san's duty"**

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><p>It was clan meeting again.<p>

And that meant a whole bunch of noisy kids running around and bothering.

Itachi used to ignore them, but since Sasuke was born, he realized how annoying they really were. He could not help but to be disturbed by their presence - his little brother tried to sleep and all the kids did was to play and mess around.

Most of the clan had gathered in the main household before they would go to the meeting. He and Shisui walked around and listened to the adults who talked. Shisui babbled happily but Itachi did not listen so carefully.

The adults were on their way to the meeting and all his cousins, second cousins and a lot of other kids would be in their house, which Itachi was not so happy with.

Shisui laughed at some kids who knocked down a bookshelf but Itachi sweatdropped - his kaa-san would get angry. Suddenly he heard the familiar sound of Sasuke's yelps and whines and he turned to Sasuke's bedroom and went there to check on his brother.

He was met by a terrifying sight. Some children in the clan, including his cousins, had taken Sasuke out of the crib and put him on the floor. Not only that, the helpless little baby was surrounded by eager children who jumped around him, dangerously close to stepping on him. Some girls were angry arguing about getting to fondle him, and someone was ... Itachi could not believe his eyes.

One of the children had taken Sasuke's little hand in his mouth and bit on his fingers, as if to see what would happen. Sasuke screamed to high heaven.

Itachi felt murderous. How _dared _they do that to _his _otouto?

In a flash he was in front of his little brother, and the seven-year-old resisted the urge to kick the kid who had injured his brother across the room.

Instead, he punched him hard, and the boy backed off terrified.

The other children, even them who was elder than Itachi, met his frightening gaze and hurried out of the room.

Sasuke continued to scream and Itachi took him in his arms, rocked him and examined his hand. Fortunately, it had not punctured the skin. As he comforted his little brother Shisui came into the room.

"My, my, Itachi," he grinned. "Impressive that someone who is as small as you managed to empty a whole room in seconds."

Itachi just rose from the floor, still held his brother protective in his arms. Shisui just chuckled. "Okay, you're probably not as soft as I thought you had become."

"Hn."

Itachi started to walk out of the room, holding his little brother. Shisui followed.

Itachi was going to guard his brother the rest of the day so that he would not fall victim to more messy children. Shisui could never understand the responsibility Itachi felt for Sasuke, how he had a need to protect him. He thought Itachi was being overprotective, but he could not understand.

It was Itachi's job as a nii-san, to always be there for his otouto.

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><p>Review please!<p> 


	4. Niisan's Otouto

**4: "Niisan's Otouto" **Itachi: 7 Sasuke: 1

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><p>Itachi was on his way home from a boring and eventless day at the Academy, with training and study. He was very good at it, but it was hard to always have so many requirements on him.<p>

But there was something that gave joy to his life, which caused him to hurry home with anticipation in his heart and a brighter look on his face.

To see his little otouto, the little child who gave his life meaning. Sasuke made him feel loved and needed. Be greeted by his cheerful chirping and cries: _Nii-san! Nii-san! _was so wonderful.

Itachi came home, and was immediately met by his beloved little otouto, who came eagerly crawling towards him. His big black eyes shone bright with joy. "Nii-san! Nii! Nii-san! "

Itachi bent down and picked him up in his arms. Little Sasuke smiled at him, chattering happily about everything, and said the word "nii-san" in every sentence. It was the first word that Sasuke learned to say, and Itachi felt proud and happy about it.

"Hello Itachi, how was your day?" their mother greeted, who came in from the kitchen. "Sasuke has been waiting for you all day, I could barely get him to sleep," she smiled.

"It was good, kaa-san." Itachi sat down with Sasuke and started to play his favorite game with him, to build words and names with letter blocks. Sasuke laughed excitedly, and began to form a specific word, that he almost had learned now.

It was, of course, _niisan_. The one-and-a-half-year old child had already learned to recognize the right letters, though he had some problems to put them in the correct order. Itachi smiled at his beloved little brother; he was so clever and talented, though he was so young! He had tried to show their father how skilled Sasuke was, but Fugaku had just snorted.

"Look here, Sasuke," Itachi said and formed the word _otouto_ with the blocks. Sasuke took the letter _o_ in his tiny mouth, tried to bite into it. Itachi laughed at the sight and carefully took the block from his brother's hand, so he would not get hurt by the slightly sharp edges on the block. Sasuke looked a bit annoyed, in a cute way. He was so adorable.

Itachi used to think that he was rarely fortunate that he had a younger brother like Sasuke. Sasuke had, from the first time he saw his nii-san, always been so happy to see him, always made him smile when he felt depressed. Itachi loved Sasuke infinitely, and put his needs before anything else.

It was hard to believe that Sasuke, only a year old, could have Itachi's heart so fully. Shisui would tease Itachi now and then, saying that he had become a softie since Sasuke was born. But Shisui could almost understand why his best friend was so obsessed with his little brother, Sasuke was incredibly adorable. Itachi loved to spend time with his baby brother. The little happy, confident being filled his heart with tenderness.

Sasuke lay on his stomach and picked with different blocks, and together they formed the words: _Itachi & Sasuke_. Then Mikoto called: "Itachi! It's time for Sasuke to eat now, and you aren't forgetting your homework, are you? "

It was actually unnecessary. Itachi was the best student in the ninja academy, he never forgot his duty. "No, Kaa-san."

"Come on, Sasuke," he said, picked up his brother and carried him to the kitchen.

"Thank you, Itachi," Mikoto smiled. She rejoiced at the affection and protection Itachi always showed towards his younger brother, and how Sasuke seemed to like his brother more than anyone else.

Itachi went to do his homework; it was boring and simple but needed to be done. He stopped abruptly when he heard Mikoto's exclamation from the kitchen.

"Sasuke!"

Immediately worried, Itachi hurried there to find his brother who was unsteadily trying to stand up. His eyes widened in surprise and amazement.

"Look, he's trying to take his first steps!" their mother said happily.

Itachi kneeled a few feet away from Sasuke, held out his arms.

"Come, otouto," he said softly. "Come to me." Sasuke took a tentative step towards him, swaying as if he were to fall.

But Itachi's encouraging words led him to take another step, with unsteady legs, then another, a little safer. Then he lost balance, but his big brother's arms were there to catch him. "Well done, otouto", Itachi praised happily, hugging him. Sasuke giggled and murmured: "Nii-san", again.


	5. Interlude: Inner Love

**2: Interlude "Inner Love"**

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><p>"Nii-san! Nii-san! "A five-year old Sasuke called out eagerly. His brother turned to him. "Yes, Sasuke?"<p>

"Look what I can do, Nii-san!" Sasuke conjured up chakra in his little hand, proudly held up his palm. "Mom says it's called chakra. I can already use it. What's chakra, Nii-san?"

Itachi smiled. "Well done, otouto!" He thought for a moment, to find a simple way to explain to his baby brother. "Chakra is something that's inside all people, which you can evoke and use. It's like a kind of energy, which is deep inside you. "

Sasuke looked fascinated."So chakra is deep inside the body ..." He pointed at his heart. "Is it in here, nii-san?"

Itachi smiled softly and bent down, placed his hand over his otouto's heart, felt his fast little heartbeats. "Chakra is everywhere, otouto. Here are your feelings."

"Feelings?" Sasuke said, wide-eyed. "Like love, and such, nii-san?"

Itachi nodded. "Yes, love, otouto," he said softly.

Sasuke's eyes sparkled. Itachi smiled and poked his brother in the forehead.

"Ow! Nii-san, why did you do that? "Sasuke rubbed his forehead.

Itachi ruffled his raven hair. "Of love, otouto."

Sasuke looked confused and pouted childishly. Itachi just chuckled. His baby brother was so cute.


	6. Sleepy Angel

**3: "Sleepy Angel"** Sasuke: 7 Itachi: 13

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><p>Sasuke was sitting on his bed, coughing wildly. When the coughing attack was over, he leaned against the bed, wishing he could get well soon.<p>

Itachi came into the room. "How do you feel, otouto?"

Sasuke began to answer, but started coughing again. Itachi sat on the bed, on top of the blanket. Sasuke also sat on top of it, refused to crawl under it.

Itachi laid a hand on his forehead. "Why don't you take the cough medicine mother brought you?" He pointed at the untouched cup on Sasuke's nightstand.

The seven-year-old boy shook his head firmly. "I don't wanna take it; it tastes disgusting, nii-san. And one gets tired by it, I don't want to sleep. "

Itachi smiled softly. Outside the window the sky was dark, the moon shone white. "It's time to go to bed, otouto. How are you going to sleep if you keep coughing like that? "

Sasuke was stubborn. He began to cough again, and Itachi put him in his lap, put his arms around him. "Take it, otouto," he pleaded. He brought the cup of medicine to Sasuke's mouth, leaned him backward a bit. Sasuke began to protest a bit, but Itachi made sure he swallowed it all. He put back the cup next to the bed and saw the child in his arms yawn. "Sleep, otouto," he said softly. "I'll stay here."

"Good night, nii-san," Sasuke murmured sleepily and Itachi smiled, saw his little angel drift off to sleep in his arms. He rocked him gently.

Sasuke smiled in his sleep, comforted by his brother's presence. Itachi bent down and placed a gentle kiss on his soft forehead.

"Sleep well, otouto," he smiled. Seeing Sasuke sleep like this reminded him of when they were younger, when Sasuke was just brought into this world. Itachi always had loved to see his brother sleep. Sasuke, his precious little brother, his beloved little angel. Sasuke was so safe in his arms, protected from all dangers. His nii-san would always be there to take care of him.

Sasuke coughed slightly in his sleep, and Itachi hugged the little child tighter, holding him gently against his body and rocked him a bit. The moonlight was shining through the window, got Sasuke's beautiful little face to bathe in light. Itachi stroked his brother's black hair.

Night came, and Itachi finally put down his brother under the covers, carefully tucked him in and kissed his cheeks. After a moment's hesitation, he decided not to leave his brother, he would probably come in to him at night anyway, as he often did. So Itachi lay down under the covers, put a protective arm over his baby brother, and fell asleep.


	7. Accident

**Chapter 5 - "Accident" **Sasuke: 7 Itachi: 13

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><p>There were good days, and there were bad. The dreams that Sasuke always had, about being together with his nii-san forever, go on missions with him in the future and always have his beloved brother by his side was made to fall apart. Nothing lasts forever.<p>

Sasuke hated the days when his nii-san didn't have any time to spend with him, when their father took him away to meetings or training, or when he was on a mission.

Often, when Sasuke asked if they could play together or train, he got a no. His brother was too busy, the clan's prodigy. Sasuke knew his brother had much to do,  
>Itachi often looked sad or stressed these days, but it was still hard to accept. So much had changed since their happy childhood, and yet Sasuke was just seven.<p>

But Sasuke tried to concentrate on what he must do. He must get stronger, so their father would put less burden on Itachi, and if Sasuke became stronger, he would be closer to go on missions with his nii-san.

Sasuke came eagerly running along the Uchiha-compound. It was a sunny, clear day and he wished his nii-san could have followed him out and train, but Itachi had been on a mission for several days. He hurried on until he came out on the private training fields for the clan. Sasuke practiced eagerly with his shurikens and kunais, but soon grew tired.

It felt hopeless. He would never become as good as his nii-san.

"I wish nii-san was here," Sasuke muttered to himself. He was exhausted after the hard training and began collecting his weapons. He jumped from branch to branch, trying to challenge himself in collecting all of them as quickly as possible.

The child tried to reach his nii-san's speed, tried to whiz from branch to branch in the tall trees and in a fraction of a second take each kunai.

But on a branch Sasuke miscalculated the distance. He landed with his toes too far out on a branch and before he knew it, he lost balance. A strong, shooting sensation through his entire body, and he fell against the hard ground.

~xxxxxx~

Itachi came home, tired after his long mission. He greeted his kaa-san briefly in the kitchen, wondering where Sasuke could be. Normally his otouto used greet him excitedly when he got home. Itachi changed from his anbu-uniform and went to see where Sasuke was. He had missed him a lot the days they spent away from each other.

He was quickly able to confirm that Sasuke was not somewhere in the house, and that made him thoughtful. He went out in the backyard when he heard a woman scream.

"Oh it's terrible! Mikoto-chan, come at once!"

Itachi saw an old woman of the clan come running, with a frightened and shocked facial expression. "Isn't it your boy, Mikoto-chan? Come quickly!"

Itachi's eyes widened, knew immediately that it concerned Sasuke. Had something happened to him?

"What happened?" He asked anxiously, while Mikoto came out in the backyard, wondering what was going on.

"Little Sasuke-chan has fallen from a tree ..." That was all it took. Itachi got a terrible feeling he had only experienced a few times in his life, under the most awful circumstances. The feeling started in his stomach, it was icy and paralyzing, took his whole being in possession.

He knew it was pure fear. Itachi wasted no time; he immediately rushed off in the direction the woman came from, into the woods. He prayed silently, to whoever it was, to let him make it in time ...

He did not have to go far. In a large clearing where Itachi used to train at times, he found his brother, lying seemingly unconscious on the ground, with a large, open wound in the forehead.

"_Sasuke_!" He threw himself towards Sasuke, ignored the old man of the clan who was sitting at his brother's side. Itachi leaned over his otouto, saw his closed eyes, the red, sticky wound on his forehead, the kunai on the ground beside him.

Itachi's heart was beating wildly, it felt as if he could not breathe. _Please, let him be alive, that's all I ask for, _Itachi thought, fumbling with his hand over Sasukes wrist, tried to find the pulse.

"Sasuke!" their mother cried when she came running with the older woman and discovered what had happened. Mikoto knelt beside him, panick-stricken, but Itachi gave her no room, completely absorbed by Sasuke.

"He's alive", the man said at the other side of the wounded, "but he's probably got generous damage. The kunai has ripped the skin on his forehead in some way ..."

Itachi stopped listen after the first two words. The relief was so great that it got his arms to tremble slightly as he gently lifted Sasuke up in his arms, with Mikoto anxiously alongside. Quickly he carried his little brother back, with his mother and the old couple behind him.

~xxxxxx~

"What's the state?" Mikoto asked the doctor in the back of the room.

Itachi stood unmoving, leaning over Sasuke's little body in the bed, as he had done all the time. Sasuke's forehead was bandaged - Itachi had almost not allowed the doctor do it for fear that his brother would be even more damaged - and he had been profoundly unconscious all the time.

"Fortunately, only a mild concussion and a sprained arm. And the wound in the forehead, but it is not so deep. But it could have gone really bad. "

The doctor left and Itachi remained in the room along with Mikoto and the older woman. Itachi stared intently at Sasuke's face, felt everything.

He felt joy and relief, wanted to hug his brother. He felt anger and wanted to tell him to never ever be so reckless again; he was exhausted by the great relief and adrenaline rush he had received. He wanted to cry when he thought of how close it was, that the kunai Sasuke apparently had held in his hand when he fell, could have killed him.

"Itachi," Mikoto said warily, noticed how upset her eldest son was, "it's been two hours. You can go and rest, you must be tired after your mission - we'll stay here and watch over him. "

Itachi turned around abruptly, with an angry and indignant gaze; he looked like he was going to refuse. But after a last glance at his brother he stormed out of the room, closed the door angrily.

The old lady looked bewildered. "What was it with Itachi-kun? Is he all right? "

"He's just very worried," Mikoto explained. Usually she wasn't able to read her oldest son so well, but now it was obvious to a mother. "Sasuke means a lot to him, and he knows how bad it could've gone, he has witnessed numerous tragedies in his life", she sighed.

~xxxxxxx~ [Several hours later]

Sasuke opened his eyes slowly, as he lay in his bed. The first thing he saw was another pair of large, bottomless black eyes filled with anxiety that stared down at him.  
>The eyes soon filled with many other emotions when they noticed that he was awake.<p>

"Sasuke ...?"

Sasuke saw his nii-san stand anxiously bending over him. He looked up in astonishment. "Nii-san?"

Itachi sighed deeply, as if he had held his breath for a long time. "Sasuke ... you cannot even imagine how you scared me, otouto ..."

"What, nii-san?" Sasuke asked confused.

Itachi's eyes narrowed, suddenly he looked angry. "Do you realize what could have happened, Sasuke?"

Sasuke winced. "What?" He whispered.

"Do you realize that you could have died? That I ... that I could have lost my otouto! "

Sasuke remembered, dazed, what had happened, and stared wide-eyed at his Aniki. "I'm sorry, nii-san," he whispered.

Itachi hugged his brother tightly, burying his face in his soft black hair. "Foolish, foolish little brother ... never do such a thing again."

"I fell", Sasuke defended himself but continued quickly in order to not make his brother more upset: "I promise nii-san."

"Thanks."

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><p>Authors Note: Sorry for the quick end, but I suffer from a minor writer's block at the moment. I'm, however, planning to add a few more chapters before it is finished. Please Review :)<p> 


	8. Interlude II: Remember How To Play?

**"Interlude II - Do you remember how to play?"**_  
><em>I don't know how, but I somehow managed to finish another chapter that has been in my head for some time. Something more happily, for once. Enjoy!

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><p><em>"Come play with me, nii-san!" A little Sasuke, who smiled wide, ran up to hug his brother.<em>

It was just like before. Like it was then, before everything began.

Itachi knew he did not had much time with his brother before his secret mission would intervene. But he would use all the time they still had.

When he was running around, smiling, trying to catch his little brother in their tag game, everything was like before. He felt complete. This was how he wanted to live the rest of his life.

Sasuke was determined that his brother would not win this time, but of course he was no match for Itachi. Itachi had gone easy on his brother for a while, because  
>his otouto never managed to catch him, or could get away, but now he did not want it anymore.<p>

Sasuke ran around in the open backyard, scanning the area for his brother and stayed in constant motion, laughing. He was so overjoyed that Itachi had one day off for the first time in ages and could just play with him. And their father was away on a mission, so he could not stop them.

Where did Itachi go? Sasuke looked eagerly around, panting, when suddenly someone hugged him from behind, wrapped his strong arms around his torso.

"Caught," Itachi smiled, who bent down in level with Sasuke.

Sasuke smiled. "Okay," he sighed. "You win again."

"Shall we go in?" his nii-san asked. "Mother said that the food is ready."

Sasuke pouted. "I don't want to stop playing already."

Itachi smiled one of his nowadays rare smiles, and began to tickle Sasukes stomach.

Sasuke squirmed from his brother's grip, laughed and giggled: "Nii-san! Stop it!"

Itachi just smiled and continued to tickle him until Sasuke writhed on the ground with laughter, breathlessly. Some adults in the clan walked by, looked frightened and suspicious when they saw what the clan's prodigy, Itachi, was doing, but Itachi and Sasuke ignored them.

Itachi stopped tickling him after a while and leaned over him, smiling happily at his otouto. Sasuke replied with a smile like the sun.

He loved to see his nii-san like this. So free from his duties and sorrows, he was only the nii-san that Sasuke loved with all his heart.

Finally Sasuke sat up, admitted reluctantly: "Okay, let's go."

Itachi ruffled his hair. As they walked back towards the house Sasuke took his brother's hand, felt so proud to have such a big brother.


	9. Everything

**"Everything"**

* * *

><p>Time began to disappear again. And Sasuke was standing at the side and let it pass.<p>

He tried to spend every available moment with Itachi, but his brother was always so busy. Although Sasuke was a little child of seven years, he could feel that something was wrong.  
>He saw how his father and nii-san seemed to be uncomfortable together, how they seemed to ... be almost angry with one another. It made him uneasy.<p>

He saw Itachi get stronger and develop, disappear further and further away from him. Would he ever be his nii-san again? It was the missions, those eternal missions, it was Anbu and training, it was Shisui and mission reports. Never Sasuke.

When twould they have time together again?

It felt like a fragile shell was built around Sasuke, protected him from what was really going on around him, at his home, in his clan. He knew there was something, but he had no idea what. But it was in how his father and Itachi angrily looked at each other, in his mother's anxious glances.

A fragile shell revolutionized him, kept the lies and troubles outside and turned them into diffuse secrets. It felt as if it could be crushed at any moment, as if everything would fall down on him.

Sasuke had asked his nii-san earlier today if he could go out and train with him, but Itachi had just poked his forehead, said he was busy. He would go out and train alone again ...

Now Sasuke was sitting on the porch outside the house, alone, and wished that his beloved older brother could be with him.  
>He suddenly noticed that Itachi sat down beside him. He was smiling. "Hello, Sasuke."<p>

"Hi, nii-san," Sasuke mumbled. There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn't dare, he couldn't say it. He looked down at his lap again, dispirited.

"What's wrong?" Itachi wondered.

Sasuke hesitated, but finally he looked up at his brother's kind, worried face.

"Nii-san, I wonder, do you really love me?"

Itachis eyes widened in surprise, but before he got a chance to respond Sasuke continued:

"I feel like ... like I don't really mean anything to you ... you want of course to spend more time with Shisui and your friends than with your tiny, weak, foolish otouto."

Itachi stared in surprise at his brother with upset and shocked eyes, lips parted in surprise. How could Sasuke think such a thing?

"I feel as if you always treat me as a burden, nii-san. It feels like I have no value, as if I always give you a hard time..." Sasuke looked up shyly, his sweet face guilty and sad.

"I'm sorry, nii-san, that it's so. But you're so much stronger and better than me. I'm sorry that I'm a burden to you, when you'd rather spend time with your friends, and after Shisui's death ..." Sasuke sadly looked down.

Itachi was filled with worry, guilt and grief. How could his otouto take the blame, when he was the innocent one in this?  
>"Sasuke," he said gravely. He saw the heartbreaking look that his little brother had, and he suddenly became agitated.<p>

"What makes you think that you don't mean anything to me?" He said, more violently than before, and Sasuke's eyes widened.  
>Itachi turned completely towards his brother. He would not usually talk about his feelings with someone, but Sasuke was the exception.<p>

"My 'friends' means nothing to me compared to you. They are comrades, nothing else. I was indeed sad when Shisui died, but - nor was it in comparison. If it had been you instead, I don't know what I would have done. "

Sasuke looked surprised at him. Itachi wondered what his brother thought, really.

"I am no better than you," he murmured quitely. It was Sasuke who was the "good" person. Then he raised his voice again. "You have completely misunderstood it, otouto. You are the one who has never put a burden on me, you are the one who has freed me. "

Sasuke had never heard his brother say so much about his feelings and thoughts before, in fact, he had never done it. Why did Itachi decided to open up for him all of a sudden?

He looked shyly at his brother. "Nii-san, I ..."

Itachi smiled, his eyes filled with tenderness as he looked at Sasuke. "We are brothers, Sasuke, and you'll always be a part of me. You are a part of me that makes me feel complete. "

"Nii-san, I also ..." Sasuke mumbled but stopped when he saw that Itachi reached out his arms towards him. This made him speechless, recently Itachi had never had time to spend with him, nor showed him any affection.

He smiled at his brother and let himself be pulled in a hard, warm hug. Sasuke buried his face against his nii-san's shoulder, felt him bow his head and kiss his forehead. "I'm here for you, otouto. And you are everything for me. "

And there they sat, together on the porch in the glowing sunset. Sasuke felt much easier now, when he knew that his brother still was there for him.

Despite the fact that he never doubted his nii-san, it felt as if ... something had changed. He had seen it in Itachi's eyes in recent days.  
>Something was coming to an end.<p>

If he only knew what.


	10. The Last Time: Broken Promise

Chapter 7: "The Last Time - Broken Promise"  
>Itachi: 14 Sasuke: 7<p>

* * *

><p>The last time. Itachi knew that the time was over; he had no more time with his otouto. Tomorrow would his mission be completed, the clan slaughtered and he would have to harm Sasuke, lie to him.<p>

He lay in his bed, looked at the white moon. He feared for tomorrow, but there was nothing to do about it. It was long past midnight and he could not sleep.

Suddenly, he felt another presence outside his door, someone was there. Seconds later the door opened and a very well known little Uchiha stuck in his head shyly.

"Nii-san? "

Itachi turned around. "Can't you sleep, Sasuke? What's..." He paused when he saw the tears running down Sasuke's cheeks.

He sat up. "What's wrong, otouto?", he asked, slightly worried.

Sasuke entered the room; his little body shook with tears. He walked up to Itachi's bed.

"Nii-san, I…I ... h-had a ... te-terrible nightmare ... c-can I ... sleep wit-with you?" Sasuke was overwhelmed by sobs. Itachi held out his arms. "Come, otouto," he said gently.

Sasuke crawled into his lap, eased, but continued to cry against his shoulder. Itachi hugged him tightly. "Shhh, otouto, don't worry, I'm here," he comforted him.

Finally he lay down with Sasuke close to him. Sasuke snuggled against Itachi's chest, safe in the warmth of his nii-san's strong body.

Itachi rubbed his brother's back comfortingly, and Sasuke's crying soon turned to light hiccups, until he fell silent.

"I love you, nii-san," Sasuke whispered against Itachi's neck. Itachi stroked his hair.

"You can sleep in peace, little brother. Nii-san is here and will protect you no matter what, just as he promised. "

Itachi sighed inwardly. He wished he could always be at his brother's side and protect him. But fate had chosen a different path.

Sasuke looked confused. He pouted with his cute little childish face. "Um?"

Itachi smiled sweetly. Sasuke could not remember the time when he was only a few months old and the nine-tailed fox attacked the village, and Itachi had sat with his helpless little brother in his arms, and promised to protect him, whatever happened.

Itachi was filled with sorrow at that memory. He wished with all his heart that he could fulfill his promise to his beloved little otouto. He gently kissed Sasuke on the soft skin between his eyebrows.

"Nii-san," Sasuke muttered, a little sheepishly. Itachi just smiled.

He saw how Sasuke peacefully drifted off to sleep, secure in his arms. He hugged his otouto close to him. This was the last moment they would have together, the very last time before they would be torn apart forever. But Itachi did not care now. No matter how heartbreaking it was, Sasuke would get a better life than he himself had, even if it meant that they had to be apart.

Just to see Sasuke asleep in his arms, free of nightmares for the last time, with a happy smile on his face, was worth all the pain that he would have to suffer. Single memories floated through Itachi's mind, from their wonderful childhood that made Itachi feel alive.

What would he do without Sasuke? How would Itachi's life been like if he didn't have his beloved little brother in it?

Itachi pressed his forehead against the sleeping child's, breathed in the sweet scent of his little otouto. Without Sasuke ... he would not be worthy of living. It felt as if he would die without him.

The night slipped past, the moon went behind a cloud and darkness closed in around them.

But Itachi held Sasuke close to him, looked at the sleeping child. The time to say goodbye approached. They had no more time.

Seven years was everything they had.

_I'm so sorry otouto._

The last time.  
><em><br>I love you, Sasuke. I love you more than you could ever know._

* * *

><p>Authors Note: I don't know if I'm trough with this story yet. Anyway, stay tuned and <strong>please leave a review<strong> ...


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